Lifestyle

Mental health professionals and educators emphasize the importance of family conversations about race as a means to help young people process racism and affirm their identity. Proactive discussions are advocated as a crucial support for the mental health and healing of children of color.

Trauma therapist and nonprofit founder Ashley McGirt-Adair is spearheading initiatives to provide culturally competent mental health services and advance racial healing within Black communities. Her forthcoming book, "The Cost of Healing in Silence," and the Therapy Fund Foundation advocate for destigmatizing mental illness, confronting bias, and integrating indigenous and African-centered healing practices to address systemic racial trauma.

Black students on college campuses are discovering transformative spaces dedicated to racial healing, which provide crucial environments for processing racial stress and affirming their identities. These intentional communities foster vulnerability and respect, addressing the emotional and psychological harm caused by racism and promoting a sense of wholeness.

A new Word In Black survey examines how Black Americans define racial healing — and why so many say the country is still far from it.

New federal student loan limits, effective July 1, are creating significant financial hurdles for graduate students, particularly those pursuing healthcare professions. Critics contend these caps, which often fall short of covering educational and living expenses, risk deterring minority and low-income individuals from advanced studies, potentially exacerbating existing shortages in rural and primary care sectors.

Dr. LeKesha Attuquayefio's multifaceted ministry, encompassing preaching, leadership development, digital content creation, international missions, and mentorship for women in ministry, draws its foundational inspiration from her grandmother's consistent practice of prayer. This extensive work is dedicated to guiding believers toward an intensified life in God.

Extreme heat is a fatal environmental hazard, with over 21,000 heat-related deaths recorded in the U.S. between 1999 and 2023. This threat disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including low-income, Black, and Latino communities, as well as outdoor workers, pregnant individuals, older adults, and young children.

Amidst persistently high maternal mortality rates, particularly among Black women, Black midwives are delivering holistic, community-based care that extends beyond conventional medical practices. This approach, highlighted by Dr. Kaytura Felix's Black Birthing Futures study, offers a crucial model for policymakers seeking to address systemic inequities in maternal health.

Millions of Medicare enrollees will gain their first-ever coverage for weight loss medications through the temporary Medicare GLP-1 Bridge pilot program, set to launch on July 1. This initiative, a significant development in healthcare access, will allow beneficiaries to obtain drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound at a substantially reduced cost, addressing a longstanding legal prohibition against Medicare covering such treatments. The program aims to make obesity treatment more equitable and accessible, reflecting ongoing advocacy efforts to recognize obesity as a treatable disease.

New research indicates that Black men experience elevated rates of hormone disruption, fertility challenges, and other health complications, including prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease, linked to increased exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and microplastics. This disparity is attributed to their greater proximity to industrial facilities and the pervasive presence of these substances in consumer goods, underscoring a critical environmental justice issue.